Unrequited
by sas93
Summary: Katniss Everdeen is the girl on fire and the only girl to capture Seneca Cranes attention
1. Chapter 1

**Unrequited **

He had not paid much attention to the majority of the tributes but he knew he should of. These were the hunger games, the most anticipated event of the year the Panem.

The arena this year was very basic, a forest here and a meadow there but it's what the game makers had planned that would get them ready for the quarter quell.

The opening ceremony had started and the crowds simply loved district one and two. If it came down to the odds, one of these four would win but it had seemed this year district twelve had decided that they needed the grasp the attention that not many people thought they deserved.

The girl on fire the crowds were saying, as was the other game makers. The two had stolen the show and were guaranteed to be at least remembered.

The little district eleven girl had just finished her private training session when they called upon the final of the tribute girls.

She walked in with confidence and quick glance up at the game makers. A few of them were already drunk, due to too much wine and some of them were just complaining about their hunger. It was when Game Maker Havensbee had decided to order a pig to stop the complaining but while they were waiting, the head game maker had decided to see what this tribute had to offer as for now she was without her flames.

She picked up a silver bow and arrow, which was interesting since she hadn't bothered with it when she was at the group training. She shot at the dummy but it soon missed which made him turn his back and start digging into the newly roasted pig that had just arrived on his table. He smiled at everyone and offered them a plate as they heard another arrow hit something but still none of them turned back to see the girl from district twelve.

Then just as Game Maker Havensbee went to take the apple from the pigs mouth, a silver arrow came shouting towards them, taking the apple with it as it hit the wall. Game Maker Havensbee recoiled backwards into the large punchbowl and he turned to see the girl who had disgraced them in a way that no other tribute has dared to.

She excuses herself as they wait for her district partner to come back.

Seneca Crane had never felt a strange sort of fascination with any of the tributes before, and even he thought he should start to, he thought that it would be for the district one girl, Glimmer. Not Katniss Everdeen the girl from district twelve, the girl on fire.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Everyone wanted to punish her but he knew that there would be no point. They tried to punish her by ways of destroying her family but still he argued that no one would fall for whatever accident they could come up with. She was going into the arena in a matter of days, so if the other game makers had their wish, she would be dead at the cornucopia; or the first couple of days at least but somehow he could not stand the thought of this.

He argued that she had more to show, that the people of Panem already loved her because she had made the right impression by first volunteering for her helpless little sister and then being set alight for her opening ceremony.

He gave her the highest score in the whole games. An eleven out of twelve at most that would get her targeted by the other tributes, maybe that monstrous boy from district two, or possibly the district one girl, Glimmer. Either way, when the scores are posted people would know that she would be one of the tributes to watch, she just had to make another unforgettable impression at her interviews.

He took his seat next to the other Game Makers only his was the closest to President Cornelius Snow, and you can bet that President Snow would want to know how a girl from district twelve got the highest scores.

"President," He said with a fake smile spread across his face as the President came to make his announcement.

"We need words later Seneca," President Snow said in a chilling tone.

He watched the tributes try out all different tactics. The girl from district one had decided to go for the sexy, glamorous appeal that many of the past tributes from district one had gone for. He didn't mind it one bit. The next few tributes just repeated timeless tactics that still were adored by the people of Panem. Then came the district eleven tributes who just answered with a yes or a no so his interview was over in a couple of minutes. The next was his district partner. A seemingly sweet little girl that would have her work cut out for her if she wanted to survive these games.

Then it was her turn; Katniss Everdeen the girl on fire was up next and had decided to go for a tactic that was rarely seen among tributes. She was being honest. Without the flames a few people had thought that there was not much of a show until her stylist made a circle motion with one of his fingers and then she had done it again.

He was fixed on only her. The girl on fire had brought the flames with her and as she spun she looked more beautiful than ever.

In that moment he had debated whether to cover his own mouth but he had resisted the temptation. Never before had he thought of a tribute as beautiful. Yes he had only been the head game maker for about a year or two but still he had watched them before the 74th games and thought some of the older tributes from district one, maybe two, were worth a second look but this girl on fire was worth a whole lot more.

The whole audience, including the government members, did not expect to be stunned even more by District Twelve but they had not counted on the district twelve boy's ability to manipulate and surprise even the toughest of audiences.

'_...because she came here with me.'_

The shock from every person in the Capitol, and most certainly Panem, was genuine and echoed around the whole stadium. Even the President himself seemed to be a little shocked at this news. Never in the history of the Games had there been such a statement towards another tribute and he did not like it one bit.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Silently he watched as the stylist assigned to District Twelve placed the small gold Mockingjay pin on the inside of her jacket. Her eyebrows creased as she registered just what the token was. It took a lot of persuasion to let her have the small pin but not much. He was the head Game Maker and had final say over the decisions regarding the games. So he let her have the small gold pin. It wouldn't make a weapon and as for the bird itself he really did not see how it would cause a problem. She would probably lose it in the arena.

The stylist checked the small silver clock above the tributes head and motioned for her to stand on the platform. The glass cylinder came down and entrapped her. Her brave facade went away as fast as the cylinder trapped her as she frantically stared at her stylist as if looking for a way out and then she looked towards the door barely catching a glimpse of him as she rose up into the arena. He had made sure that there would be a bow and arrow placed in the arena but because it was an excellent weapon, it had to be placed near the Cornucopia.

It was in that moment he realised that he was afraid but he did not understand the reason. He wondered if it was because he had thought that she had seen him or her stylist. It wasn't normal for the head game maker to make such an effort, especially with a tribute from a lower district. He knew it wasn't decent for him to be worrying about her. This is the hunger games; survival is a skill that many of the tributes so unfairly lack.

It wasn't long that the stylist spotted him.

"I think she has a real chance." The stylist said, stopping in front of the game maker.

"Against the other twenty-three? It hardly seems likely." He replied with a subtle laugh.

"She could do it. She did get an eleven." Cinna said as he walked away, leaving the head Game Maker to his own thoughts.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter four**

_10, 9, 8, 7..._

The countdown starts. The cornucopia bloodbath is one of the highest rated segments and he knows it. It's the time when the weak are killed and the strong have to soldier on until one lone victor remains. This is where the districts get the hope that they need or the shattering heartbreak to know that another one or two children from their district has died.

_6, 5, 4, 3..._

A third of the tributes are looking around, evaluating their chances of attempting the cornucopia or just simple running away while the others have their eyes fixed on their prizes.

The game makers had decided to give some of the tributes what they wanted. For the district two boys there was a pile of swords while for either of the district one or twelve girl, there was a single silver bow and set of matching arrows.

_2, 1... Let the seventy-forth hunger games begin!_

In a matter of minutes half the tributes fell dead on the ground. Obviously district one and two had all of their tributes left as expected but so did district eleven and twelve.

"Show the district twelve girl," He said walking up to one of the main screens.

The screen flickered from the district two boy and then to the district twelve girl. Katniss Everdeen the girl on fire was certainly making an impression yet she still had yet to receive sponsors.

On one of the smaller screens, the girl on fire's district partner was making some interesting choices.

"He's teaming up with careers sir," one of the younger game makers had mentioned.

He nodded as if to signal to put it on there and there it was. The boy from district twelve pledging his allegiance with the career pack on the condition that he has to help them find Katniss. Panem would be shocked and if the boy ever made it home he would not be well liked. People in the districts tend to hate the people who betray their tributes.


	5. Chapter 5

The careers were making great progress and were the most sponsored tributes in these games. The district twelve boy had been making progress with the viewers even though he had allied with the tributes that wanted so desperately to kill the girl that he apparently loved. Still, his betrayal was reflected in none of the parachutes that he had been sent. Yes the Capitol likes to see the allies fall apart but they do not like to see young love being ripped apart by another tribute.

"Sir," one of the younger game makers said, "the district twelve girl is two kilometres away from the edge."

He smiled to himself as he had seen her nearest tributes. The career pack with the lover boy was not too far from her. They needed a good show and Miss Everdeen was certainly going to provide one for them.

"Get the cannon balls ready. Let's see how the girl on fire reacts with the real thing," he smiled to himself.

Within a matter of minutes, the part of the forest where Katniss Everdeen had decided to rest was lit up with intense burning flames, completely blocking everywhere but the path to the careers. All of the game makers were smiling with a hint of a wicked grin.

When Katniss had finally woken up due to the burning smell of the forest, she had a look of panic all over her face. Suddenly to view count shot up. It seemed to be that he was not the only one who was keeping an eye out for her. The capitol people must have really gone for that whole star crossed lovers from district twelve. President Snow didn't, and he wanted a show.

"That's a burn to her leg," a game maker said..

"Fire another one," He said with a look that could only be described as infatuated.

Game Maker Havensbee had sent a fire ball right at Katniss Everdeen's face. It was a near miss but it was received to kindly.

"Were supposed to drive her to the careers," he shouted, "not kill her!"

A few of the game makers looked up at him in disbelief. Never before had he, Seneca Crane, raised his voice at a tributes near miss at either death or an injury. He didn't even give an explanation. He stormed out of the control room for a quick minute. He needed to calm down and he knew there would be questions to which he had none of the answers.

When he came back in, he could see that Katniss had fallen down a hill. She was rapidly making her way to the career pack and with an injury that bad, it would be a miracle if she survived this encounter.

"Shall I get cannon ready?" Game Maker Havensbee said.

He replied with a poignant nod.

The career packs were chasing her through the woods, with Peeta in tact but she had not yet seen him. Cato and Clove, the district two tributes, were shouting and laughing at the thought of killing her. Marvel and Glimmer, the pair from district one, were running behind them and then with Peeta behind them. You could tell just by this who was the leader of the group.

She had managed to climb up a tree to avoid the monstrous careers. Cato had decided to try and climb up and get her himself but had just fallen flat on his face. They tried countless things to either inflict damage on her or to just get her down. Glimmer had tried shooting at her with the bow and arrows that was meant for Katniss. Glimmer was not nearly as skilled in archery when compared to Katniss.

Katniss laughed and had mentioned something about the careers throwing up a sword. He gave a small laugh with her, but thankfully did it quietly. It was traditional for the game makers to root for either districts one or two but here he was, rooting for the girl on fire.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

All attention was on the careers packs attempt of getting Katniss Everdeen out of the games. The people of the Capitol did not react to well with Katniss finding out that her beloved Peeta had betrayed her and seemed all too willing to help the careers bring her down.

When he had gone out to the Capitol, to mingle with the people, they were all furious, and those who were once willing to sponsor Peeta had withdrew their money or shifted it to another tribute. It was that night when he had seen Katniss receive her first ever sponsor gift.

She was in desperate need, her leg was burning and she was in a great deal of pain, and neither he nor the Capitol could stand that. He would have sponsored her but there are rules that he had to follow. There have been stories of the past game makers that had not followed the rules, and that's why so many job positions become available.

"Thank you," she whispered up to her mentor and the sponsors who were kind enough to give her that lifeline.

She slept soundly that night, but still he found his attention on her and contemplating how he could get her out of the situation. It was beyond his control and he hated that thought.

Then, by some miracle, the little district eleven girl had caught Katniss's attention. She put a finger over her lips and then pointed upwards. Katniss looked up to find a tracker jacker nest. She was proving that she was a fighter, and she was not going down easy.

"They could have just burnt her out of the tree," one of the game makers laughed with a sick twisted smile.

He laughed with them, but still his attention was solely on the screen.

The careers were still sleeping, Peeta included, as Katniss was sawing away at the branch that held the tracker jacker nest. She was getting stung herself as she was doing this but he could tell that she knew that this would be the key to her survival for just one more night.

Then the branch snapped and the nest came crashing down. With a thud, the tracker jackers came swarming out and the careers woke up screaming. Katniss fell out of the tree as the careers had left Glimmer on her own with the deadly tracker jackers.

She was screaming and her body was swelling then her heart rate dropped to nothing.

"Fire her cannon," He said looking for the direction the careers were running. Cato was returning back, as was Peeta and Katniss had decided to take the bows and arrows off Glimmers corpse.

She was rocking back and forth, a result of deliria from the tracker jacker poison.

Peeta had screamed at her to run away and when she did, that left Peeta to deal with Cato.

"You let her get away!" He screamed as he raised his sword, and then in a split second it came crashing down on Peeta's leg.

Peeta fell to the floor as Cato ran away from the remaining tracker jackers and into the safety of his cornucopia.

Katniss had made quite a bit of difference between herself and the tracker jackers but only to black out t the moment of safety.

"What should we do now?" A game maker asked.

"Leave them," he said focusing on different screens, "the boy from twelve will bleed to death and the careers are recovering. The district twelve girl will be out for a couple of days at least. More tributes should fall in the mean time."

In the next hour, the screen showed the small district eleven girl making her way, wearily over to Katniss. She seen that her body was covered in some swelling and picked a few leaves and put them over the bumps in her body. She placed her bow and arrows nearby, and just sat there, waiting for Katniss to regain consciousness. He was waiting too.

About four or five days had passed before Katniss had woken up. He smiled and let out a sigh of relief when she was up and moving and was even more fascinated when she had made an ally with the youngest tribute left. District eleven and twelve would make an interesting team and he thought it was great that when Katniss had found out that Peeta is still alive, she did not go out rushing to find him, even though he saved her. He liked that thought a bit more than he should have.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The two tributes had made a plan that should devastate the career tributes time in the games. He had never thought that the girl from district twelve would be so cunning and strategic. They all thought that the lower districts would not last past the cornucopia, but here she was making every impression that shown her to be in the running for a victor.

They had decided to do a split screen. One half of the screens showing Katniss, hiding on the outskirts and the other the little girl from district eleven lighting the fires that they had planned. He laughed at the thought of that plan. She had a thing for fire and everyone just loved that, even President Snow did not hate it.

Katniss was just about to fire her arrow when the district five girl had ran across the field. Katniss stopped in an instant to watch the ever so cunning girl pick up a bunch of apples. A great tactic suited to her fast speed, if only she had stood out instead of standing at the side lines. She was no girl of fire, but Vela was a girl to watch but never the less she was not the girl that had caught his eye.

She ran away as Katniss aimed at a bunch of apples but missed the first time.

"Show only the district twelve girl," he ordered as he intently watched the games.

The screen that Katniss was one quickly took over the entire screens as she took another shot at the apples. She had aimed correctly and as the apples hit the ground, the explosion soon followed. The district six boy who was on guard panicked. Katniss sulked back into the bushes and watched three of the careers return. The district two boy came storming over and shouting at the small district six boy. A cannon fired as the district six boy had his next snapped by the brutal and bloody Cato.

Katniss ran back into the forest looking for the little girl Rue.

"Show the split screens again," he ordered again

The screens had shown that the little girl had been caught in a trap and Katniss was nowhere near her, but the district one boy was getting closer to her.

"Get a cannon ready," he said leaning forward on his chair, "

Katniss had whistled her four note harmony that signalled she was safe and was waiting for the returning one from Rue. Panic sunk in her face when there was nothing coming back to her. The tracker systems showed that she wasn't far from Rue, and neither was the district one boy.

"Katniss!" The little girl screamed and even a few game makers held their breaths.

Katniss ran into the direction of Rue's screams and when she had found her, so did the district one boy. He raised his spear and hurled it into Rue's abdomen. Katniss screamed and shot her arrow through the district one boy's neck. His cannon fired as Katniss ran to Rue.

Rue begged her to stay and sing to her as her final moments dawned upon her. Katniss sang and to him, it felt like the whole of Panem went quite. Rue's tracker had indicated that her heart rate had dropped right down to nothing, she was officially dead.

"Shoot her cannon," he said numbly.

As the cannon fired, Katniss screamed even more. She was crying, no one in the games had cried like this before, not for a tribute that was outside their own district.

Katniss had thrown the district one boy's spear and had gone to collect wild flowers. He had ordered them to keep the screens on her.

She lay the flowers on the dead tributes body and gave her a three fingered solute.

He had never seen such valour from a tribute like this before, and he loved every bit of what she was showing, he just wouldn't admit it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

He had watched her for several days but had just seen an empty shell of a girl who was so stricken by grief that she was unable to hunt for food, or really survive. It made his heart ache in a strange way that he knew he had to do something; anything to get her moving, anything to get her to hope.

"Get me an appointment with the President," He said to one of the game makers.

In a matter of minutes he had a meeting with President Snow. He had made his pitch very clear, he wanted to make the games more interesting, maybe get a high view count but that did not really impress President Snow. He then had made it so he would make his mark on this year's games and to maybe cause a bigger rift between districts two and twelve. That the President liked and gave him his written permission to use his new tactic but to change it when it would come down to the final two.

Claudias Templesmith had made the announcement that there could be two victors if they came from the same district and it worked. Already she was moving, shouting his district partner's name. Although it annoyed him in a way that she seemed to care so deeply for him, he knew that it was the only way to get her moving and fighting.

She had searched for hours for him when she finally settled down and ate something and then went back to looking for him. He had to think, it was the district two pair that was left, the district five girl and the district eleven boy and then the apparent star crossed lovers. Although the district twelve boy's heartbeat was dropping ever so slightly, it seems that the wound the brutal Cato had gave him was fatal.

After a couple of hours she had found him camouflaged with some rocks and had taken him to a cave where she had tried to heal him, but it seemed the sight of blood made her nauseous. She had hunted and he was fascinated when she did. She seemed so at ease when hunting or just with the bow he didn't know what it was just that his attention was drawn to her, even when she was telling her district partner stories of her life back home. So much for the star crossed lovers; they didn't really know each other at all so how could they be in love? It was these questions that made him question his loyalties. Where they with the authoritative Capitol, if so why was he supporting her when the tributes he should be supporting are the district two pair.

It was when she kissed him he wanted to turn off all the screens and send some mutts in after him, but not her. The only thing that really compensated was the fact that his heart beat was still dropping. He gave a sick and twisted smile at that and then ordered for the feasts announcement to come in a matter of minutes. It did and Katniss was adamant that she would risk her live in order to save the boy that had betrayed her. He felt so much anger at this, at how she could quickly forgive him for something that could have killed her.

Her district partner refused to let her leave the cave in fear for her safety which he laughed at. It was when he was asleep their mentor had sent her some soup and some syrup that would knock him out cold with sleep. She had drugged him and had left for the feast. It made him shake his head as she was signing her own death certificate with this. The girl from district two was still at the cornucopia, as was the girl from district five and the boy from district eleven was getting closer. They all needed something, but he needed her alive.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

It was time for the feast which meant that the games were only days away from ending, and he was days away to see if the girl he had been rooting for would be his victor.

Her district partner would not let her go, in fear of her safety which just infuriated him. How could a boy who betrayed her, the girl that he apparently love suddenly want to save her? If anything she was saving him and both her district partner and he knew this.

It was when another sponsor package had come for her. It was a small bottle of sleep syrup, perfect for silencing her district partner while she runs off and risks her life. He knew he had to calm down but he just could not make himself do so. She certainly had an effect on him

After Katniss had drugged him, she armed herself with her bow and arrow and ran off to the cornucopia. He held his breath as each time he had seen her raise her bow and arrow, ready to shoot, he found himself losing his breath.

She was just about to run and grab the bag with number twelve on it when the district five girl had once again sprinted across the area, quickly grab her own bag and run for her life. He always wondered why Katniss did not kill her, these were the hunger games and yet she seemed to be playing by a different set of rules. He did wonder was it this that had made him not over look this girl of fire from district twelve.

She seemed to be trying out the district five girl's tactic by running across the field only when she had grabbed her bag, a knife came flying past her face.

"Show them both," he said, "Split it in three. I want you to show both tributes and then a long shot of them."

The game makers had done exactly what he said and now Panem was watching the district two girl throwing knives at Katniss. One knife had managed to cut Katniss just above the eye and then the district two girl had tackled Katniss to the ground and also pinning her there, so she was unable to move.

"_Forget it, District Twelve. We're going to kill you. Just like we did your pathetic little ally... what was her name? The one who hopped around in the trees? Rue? Well first Rue, then you, and then I think we'll just let nature take care of Lover Boy. How does that sound?_" The district two girl taunted.

He felt such hatred towards this girl which was unheard of for a game maker. He should be rooting for district two now that district one was out of the way but he couldn't.

He had to keep on reassuring himself that she would get out of it, she would kill her and then that would put her in the final five but the odds did not seem to look in either his or Katniss's favour.

Just when Clove, the girl from district two was about to slit Katniss's throat, the district eleven tribute had pulled up to the side of the cornucopia.

He wanted to scream at her, to tell her to run but he knew that it would be pointless, instead he did all he could, sit there and watch helplessly.

Thresh, the district eleven tribute had smashed Clove's skull in with a rock, and with the final crack from her head, the cannon fired. Six remaining.

Thresh grabbed his bag and walked over to Katniss who was still on the ground, his heart was beating fast, hoping that she would move but she just didn't.

"Just this one time, I let you go. For the little girl. You and me, we're even then. No more owed. You understand?" Thresh had ran off, leaving Katniss alone.

She was left reeling what had just happened. A tribute would never do that, not so close to the end. It seems she wasn't the only one making an impression.

"Sir," a game maker, "The district two tribute is chasing after the district eleven."

He demanded them to show the screens but he is not paying attention to them. He is in deep thought, wondering if she actually has a chance but even if she did how would it benefit him?

The district eleven tribute had died and his cannon came minutes later. District eleven were officially out of the race to have a victor. Now the only two people that would benefit from his rule change was district twelve, and he would of loved it, if only the district twelve's male tribute was out of the game.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

The cannon had fired once more, signalling that they were in the final five. The district five girl whose name was Vela had fell. She had swallowed the night lock berries that the district twelve boy had held in his hand. He had tricked her without even realising but when Katniss had thought that her district partner had died, she was running and screaming his name. That did hurt him a little.

The look of panic that she wore when she couldn't find him or the utter despair that everyone could tell that she was feeling, just by the sound of her voice broke him.

Finally he had realised that he felt something more than that slight interest in the girl on fire. He knew that in her weakest moments she was just herself. No gimmicks of fire and no story that she has to play. She was simply Katniss Everdeen, the district twelve tribute and he wanted nothing more than for her to win.

When she had found him, the slight smile that came across her face made him smile. She was happy, she was alright to fight but hopefully the district two boy would get at him before she was crowned victor.

They had to drive the final three together and then get down to their final two at least. It was time for the mutations and many of the game makers actually had got quite excited at this, in fact many of them had been waiting all of the duration of the games for this ground breaking moment. They had been quite vicious, in face he had come up with the design of the vicious like wolves. They were there to represent the fallen tributes in every way possible; from their build to the dead tributes eyes. Many had said that there was defiantly going to be a horrendous psychological effect on the victor; which the president loved the idea of.

The lights dimmed down, so it imitated the night sky and the final three tributes took every step with additional care.

"Sir, the district two boy is getting attacked by the mutts," a younger game maker had said.

He looked at him with utter annoyance; "Well show him on the screen then!"

The screens showed the district two boy fighting the tallest mutt that had seemed to look a lot like the fallen district eleven boy. Cato, the final tribute of the higher districts left to compete for the crown and he had done the best thing to do in this situation, run to the cornucopia and climb on top of it. He sat there for about ten minute before Katniss and her district partner came running across to it and then climbing up the cornucopia themselves.

Cato had started to attack, hitting Katniss on the head trying to knock her out while her district partner was trying out some wrestling type moves on Cato. It seemed to have worked till Cato had retaliated with a vicious blow to his chest. Katniss had tried her best to get him away from her district partner but in doing so, turned his targets on her. He pushed her down and held her over the side, with the mutts clawing at her hair.

He wished that he could send a jolt of lightning through the boy's body in order to save her but he knew that even if he could, it would bring about many questions to which he did not have suitable answers. All he could do is sit and wait to see if she would be at the mercy of the mutts and the district two boy.

Once again, her district partner wins the hearts and attention of every capitol citizen but at a price. He had knocked the tribute two boy away from Katniss but as she went to retrieve her bow and arrows he had held her district partner so then she had to make a choice. Either let Cato live and risk her own life, or shoot Cato and watch him drag her district partner down with the mutts.

She was brilliant he had to admit.

Instead of risking what was apparently important to her, she had shot Cato in his hand and he released her district partner as he fell to his slow torture.

For ten minutes everyone had to listen to the slow and suffering screams of the falling district two tribute. For a moment he could of sworn that Cato, the monstrous boy from district two, had begged for death to which Katniss had done so. She had ended his life but he knew that it was not out of vengeance, it was out of compassion in a way.

The lights went up and the announcement that the previous rule change had been revoked hit the final two tributes hard. He could not bear to look at her face, he felt like he was one who betrayed her. As every single ounce of hope shattered, her face had shown this cross between despair and frustration and he hated himself for it.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

"If you think about it, it's not that surprising," her district partner says as he slowly pulls the knife from his belt.

"_Here it is," _he thought, _"The star crossed lover was going to kill her in front of the whole country." _The only thing that brought justice to this thought was the likelihood that the district twelve tribute would be the most hated victor in the games history, and you can bet anything that he was going to add fuel to the fire. Peeta Mellark did not deserve the title, without her, the district partner would have been dead and everyone knew it.

In an instant Katniss had loaded her bow with an arrow and pointed it straight at Peeta's heart. This made him smile; she was a fighter and was not going to fall at the last hurdle. Peeta throws the knife to the ground and she does the exact same which causes a slight grimace on the game makers face. He had wondered how she could do this; throw everything away when she could be moments away from her victory.

"No, Do it." Peeta says as he limps towards her and thrusts her bow and arrow back in her hands.

For ten minutes the pair threaten suicide and he wishes that she would not take the easy way out, she was a fighter, well that was the impression that he had got. She wouldn't do this; she shouldn't do this, not to him not right now.

"We both know they have to have a victor. It can only be one of us. Please, take it. For me." The very annoying, but persuasive district twelve boy says.

He starts to say how he loves her, and what life would be without her but if he did truly love her, then why did he join the career pack and lead them right to her, ready for the kill. Love is not that. Love is being there for the other person no matter what, in sickness or in health.

That was when it came to him. Did he love her? He did try and do everything for her; he gave her hope in her darkest hour even though she did not know it was him. He still helped her.

Her fingers fumble on the pouch that is attached to her belt. Night lock berries. His eyes widened and he leaned closer to the screen in the control room.

"No I won't let you." Peeta whispers to her.

The game maker tries to stifle a laugh but it is the sarcastic snort that he can't hold back and he does get the odd stare from one of the lower game makers. He returns their stares with a deadly glare and with his piercing blue eyes, they soon turn away.

"Trust me," She whispers, "On the count of three?"

She empties half of the berries from her hand to her district partners and all the game makers, including him start to panic. They need their victor but he needed her to live.

There were frantic whispers from the game makers and someone had called President Snow and by the look on their face, the president was not happy.

Katniss tilts her hand so the camera's can see the night lock berries in all there destruction. It was strange to think how a couple of berries can kill a person, could kill her. This is what he hated most about the seventy-forth games. The way she overcomes the most brutal devastating blows but is willing to give it all up for a boy who had betrayed her within the heartbeat.

"One…" She said, "Two…"

"The president says it's your call Game Maker Seneca." A young game maker had said, with a horrified sound to his voice.

"Three."

She lifts her hand to her mouth and her district partner does the same, but only looking at her. Katniss looks around, taking in the scenery.

He shakes his head and quickly stands, "Let them live."

He felt nothing inside but utter dread. He had let two people win the game, two victors to go home too. The president would be looking for someone to blame, for someone to kill and he knew it had to be him. He was the head game maker, the one making the tough decisions but he never thought that the decision would be as hard as this.

"Stop! Stop! Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to present the victors of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark. I give you the tributes of district twelve." Claudius Templesmith's voice had boomed all around the arena.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

They were both being treated to the most expensive care that the Capitol could provide and he desperately wanted to see her but he had more pressing issues at hand.

The president had asked to see him in his house, about matters concerning the finale of the seventy-forth games.

He knew it was because he let them both win, but what else could he do? They needed to have a victor and they were both threatening suicide. The games needed them both to win and the people wanted it, and in his defence, the view count had never been higher.

"The president will see you know." The butler had said in monotone.

He walked slowly to the President's office, were President Snow was sitting menacingly at his desk. He gulped and knocked on the door.

"Come in Seneca," he said.

He walked in and waiting to be asked to sit down, like a good little game maker he was and listened to how he might have caused an uprising by letting two of the tributes win.

"People won't rebel against us sir," he said trying to sound confident but had just sounded scared, "we are stronger than all twelve districts combined."

"Strong enough for a hand full of berries to possibly bring us down?"

That made him shut up.

After twenty-five minutes of listening to the President go on about how he has made the worst mistake in his career he was allowed to leave but had to formally announce that he is taking time off managing the games indefinably.

As soon as he had left the President's mansion her made his way straight over to the hospital, were the tributes, no, the victors were being treated.

He asked if he could see the boy first, just to see how he was doing when the nurse had said that they both were put into temporary coma's, just until they are fully healed.

He smiled at her and walked into his room.

Looking at the new victor, he wondered why she would risk her life, and the lives of her family for him. He didn't look like anything special, the only thing he could think of is that he had a way of working the crowds but that was it. That was all her district partner could really offer her and he knew that he could offer her so much more.

He left the boy's room after reading that they had to amputate his leg. He thought of Karma and how if he did not betray her for the careers, he might of kept that leg.

Finally he stopped outside her room. It was empty and she looked so peaceful, she looked just like she was sleeping. He stepped into the room and sat by her bed. This was probably the closet that he had ever been to her.

He had to see her. He knew that the president would not let his actions stand. He knew his end was coming but he just had to see her. He had supported her through thick and thin and had risked his own life for hers. A trade that he knew he would gladly make again, to know she was back home and happy.

He stood up and kissed her softly on the lips.

She didn't wake up but he still felt like he had to say something, anything.

"I had to do that," he said still so close to her, "just once."

He walked out the room to President Snow glaring at nothing, just him and only him.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

It was her that had kept him going.

The image of her face, the feeling of her lips against his.

It was this that had given him the motivation to get to District Thirteen.


	14. Reminder

**This is not a chapter, just a quick note.**

So many of you were asking about the issue of Seneca Cranes death or if he in fact makes it to district thirteen, well, because of popular demand I have wrote it.

If you decide to read it, it is called My Immortal.

The link is here but I am not sure if it works: .net/s/8041613/1/My_Immortal

Oh and thank you all for the feedback, it means a lot that you have taken the time to review but can I ask what was your best/worst bit of the whole thing (excluding this chapter)

And another thing, sorry about putting this as a chapter, it wouldn't let me e-mail or reply to all of you.


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